1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lubrication device, more particularly to a lubrication device that is adapted to be employed in a punching machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional lubrication device 1 which is employed in a punching machine and which includes a pair of felt rollers 12 that cooperatively define a plate passage unit therebetween to permit extension of a metal plate 130 therethrough, an oil container 10 disposed above the rollers 12, and a pipe unit 11 which has two ends 110, 111 that are connected fluidly to the container 10 and the upper roller 12 for supplying lubrication oil 100 onto the metal plate 130.
Some of the drawbacks of the aforementioned conventional lubrication device are as follows:
It is noted that in order to distribute and apply the lubrication oil over the entire surface of the metal plate 130, the latter is conveyed through the plate passage unit at a relatively slow rate, thereby prolonging the feeding time thereof.
The oil gas formed on the rollers 12 and the plate 130 usually spreads out of the plate passage unit during the conveying process of the metal plate 130, thereby soiling the immediate surrounding of the worksite.
The object of the present invention is to provide a lubrication device which can obviate the aforesaid drawbacks that generally result from the use of the conventional lubrication device.
Accordingly, a lubrication device of the present invention is adapted to be used in a punching machine, and includes a hollow workpiece-guiding unit, and an oil feeding assembly, and a compressed-air supplying unit. The workpiece-guiding unit defines an interior chamber therein and has a plate passage unit for extension of a horizontal metal plate therethrough. The plate passage unit is in fluid communication with the interior chamber in the workpiece-guiding unit. The oil feeding assembly supplies lubricating oil into the workpiece-guiding unit. The compressed-air supplying unit supplies compressed air to combine with the lubricating oil so that the lubricating oil is trained on the compressed air to form an oil gas, which flows into the interior chamber in the workpiece guiding unit and onto the top and bottom surfaces of the metal plate.